“Board Game Exhibition at the National Museum of Taiwan” Game instructions

Game objectives

Legend has it that the National Museum of Taiwan History has a treasure trove in which are stored board games that were played in our parents’ and grandparents’ generations (and even before that!). Games like these are like portals to the past, giving us a feel for the times and changes that have taken place. They give us a glimpse into the thinking of people of a particular time and place. Each game tells a unique story, but more importantly and carries the joyful memories of each era and the good times spent with friends and family.

Our treasure trove is about to open its doors. Players! Get ready! Go find your favorite game!

Game tips

1. Open your eyes: Look closely. What is drawn on the game paper? Spirits, animals, airplanes, and many other things. Which do you like best?
2. Find players: Did you bring your parents or grandparents along to play? Ask them if they’ve ever played any of the games in our treasure trove.
3. Bring a joy-filled heart: Games are created to be fun. Prepare to have a good time!

Let’s start the game!

1. Go for a whirl! The spiral of life

From snails, seashells, and spiral galaxies to corkscrew staircases, screws, and fusilli pasta, the world around us is filled with spirals. This is also true on game tables, which are witnesses of the penchant humans have for spirals. Examples include The Game of the Goose from and Japan’s Sugoroku (lit. “double sixes”). The spiral paths are adorned with many interesting elements to make the games more fun.

Hu-lu-wen became popular on game tables in Taiwan in the Qing Dynasty. The paper on which this game is played consists of a spiral with auspicious pictures of calabash gourds, deities, plants, and animals. Players strive to become deities by reciting pithy mnemonic formulas. Sugoroku features lively scenes from the streets of Japanese-era Taipei. Examples created in post-war Taiwan include games based on advancing academically and others ornamented with favorite adorable cartoon characters. Take a look at these board games featuring spirals that serve as time tunnels to the former times.

2. Set sail for your dream 

Each generation has its dreams. For example, as travel became easier, sightseeing and globetrotting became popular. This can be seen in board games based on world travel that emerged during the period of Japanese governance. After the war Ⅱ, Monopoly, inspired by the boom in the real estate and financial industries, and The Pursuit of Happiness were invented. These and other games made a foray into Taiwan where they became popular and filled homes with joy and laughter.

2-1 World travel no longer just a dream

With advancements in transportation, going abroad was no longer limited to missionaries, businessmen, and academics. Dreams of traveling and seeing the world were now tucked away in many a heart. “Around the World in 80 Days,” the classic adventure novel penned by French author Jules Verne in 1873, was a hit and inspired many board games in Europe and America. 

The travel craze even across Taiwan with many world travel board games becoming all the rage during the Japanese era. They filled the heads of players with facts about the world around them and their hearts with the desire to see it. Seeing the world remains the dream of many, but it’s not cheap, so many opt to journey to their favorite destinations at the game table until they save enough money to go there in real life.

2-2 Chance! Destiny! Winner!

Board games from North America and Europe took Taiwan by storm after the war with Chinese-language versions of games like Monopoly, which debuted in the 1930s, as well as Careers and The Game of Life, both of which made their appearances in the 1950s, coming out in Taiwan in the ‘60s.

Monopoly, a game based on real estate and financial competition, quickly became a household name in Taiwan. After computer games became popular, Taiwan gaming company Softstar Entertainment rolled out a Monopoly Series of video games which has become part of the collective memory of yet another generation of players. Pictures featured on games like Careers and A Life of Striving (the Taiwan version of The Game of Life) represent ideas that were popular when the games were created and the retro photos seen on the boxes of the Chinese-language versions reflect the outlook on life prevalent in Taiwan at the time. 

The exciting game Chance fanned the desire of players in Taiwan to become big landowners and winners in life. Games like these are still popular today. If you were to design your own board game, what would you draw on it to represent your idea of a happy life?

3. These won’t be on your history test, but they’re fun nonetheless 

Many games have historical settings, like the Three Kingdoms, the Warring States Period, and Egyptian Dynasties, but more often than not the inspiration for board games comes from people’s lives. After these games have been around for 50, 100, or even 1000 years, they will be considered “historical” artifacts reflecting the culture in which they were created. 

Studying old board games is like taking a history course at a game table as they give us a glimpse at how people at that time viewed the world. For example, the game Shengguan Tu (lit., government official promotion chart) was modified as the world around it changed over time. In addition, many events that we read about in history books have been used in popular board games.

Many events on board games don’t appear on history tests, but they are still very interesting as they make players aware of the current of history and familiarize them with the historical storyline behind the game. 

3-1 Be an official when you grow up

In some Asian countries and dynasties, study and exams were flagstones paving the way to government positions, promotions, and a life of success, so families actively encouraged their children to be diligent students. Shengguan Tu, passed down for over 1,000 years, is a game that reflects this mindset. First played by scholars, it gradually spread throughout society and gained a foothold in Taiwan in the Qing Dynasty.

One major characteristic of Shengguan Tu is the fact that the paper on which it is played is chock full of official titles. As players vie to obtain the highest official rank possible, like Grand Preceptor and President, they also become familiar with the hierarchy of government ranks. You could say it was a prerequisite course for officialdom. Interestingly, Shengguan Tu is a bit of history on the game table, because the titles of officials featured on various versions changed over time as different dynasties reorganized the government.

3-2 Learning history from old board games

It turns out that many famous terms found in history books were featured, at one time or other, on board games. Many old board games not only give us hints about people, life, and entertainment in past, they also reacquaint us with important events in history. Games from the Japanese era and World War Ⅱ invite players to witness Japan’s expansion in and propagandizing of Taiwan and other parts of Asia, while the ideologically-charged game Counterattack and Victory brings the rivalry of nations and war to the game table. 

The narration of history is not restricted to the printed page. Board games are windows into other times, allowing us to see historical events from the perspective of the people alive then. Old board games can be history textbooks.

5.Shh! Playing on the sly

Some games must be played secretly, because if money is incorporated into the fun, it becomes gambling, which, if it becomes an addiction, can adversely impact both mental and physical health and even the health of a society. That’s why most governments prohibit this behavior. Signs and artwork to discourage gambling can be seen around Taiwan. Consequently, game tables feature some games, like “puritanical” poker and “no-money” mahjong; otherwise, they would have to be played covertly.

So which games do you like to play in secret at the game table? The dice game Si̍p-pat-tâu-á (a dice game), Four Color Cards四色牌, Tian-gow天九牌 (Chinese dominos), and mahjong have been popular for over a century and remain favorites of many older people in Taiwan today. Western games, like playing cards, which were readily available and which could be played in countless ways, were introduced into and rapidly became popular in Taiwan after the war. There are also multiple ways to play Taiwan’s own Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Cards!

So let’s play a game with our parents and grandparents… a wholesome “no-money” game, of course!